Ketogenic Diet: Sixty Days to a Better Body

Defining the Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is an eating plan that permits you to get slim and stay slim despite your lifestyle and schedule. While there are many different types of keto diets, a ketogenic diet is a diet that is designed with a large amount of good fats, a moderate amount of protein, and very little carbs.

Because the diet is restricted in carbohydrates, it reprograms the metabolism – causing it to burn the stores of fat in your body for fuel rather than utilizing the glycogen that is stored in the muscles. The low-carb intake that the diet provides also keeps blood sugar levels from spiking.

Ketosis

When this type of diet is embraced, the fat cells start to release fatty acids – acids that are broken down by the liver to produce ketones. This is called ketosis. Ketosis is a type of physiological process that happens when the body breaks down ketones instead of the glucose from carbohydrates for energy.

A Healthy Approach to Staying Slim

As you can see, you still can stay energized, as the fat that is burned is already stored in the body. Nothing is taken from the muscles, which can lead to tiredness and an inefficient burning of fat. A keto diet plan not only will help you burn off excess fat and keep it off, but it has also been shown, through research studies, to support the following:

• Enhanced energy
• Improved athletic and workout performance
• Better mental clarity
• Improved cognitive functioning
• Improved digestion
• A slowdown of the aging process

Keto Diets You Can Review Online

If you want to begin a sample 30-day meal plan, you can initiate yourself with the keto diet online. You can also find several ketogenic diet plans on Amazon.com, any of which can be followed by beginners.

Basically, you can follow a keto diet by selecting one of four basic approaches.

These approaches follow:

• The standard ketogenic diet (SKD) – for fat loss and health
• The targeted ketogenic diet (TKD) – for better workout performance
• The cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD) – for bodybuilding and athletics
• The high protein ketogenic diet (HPKD) –  for anyone with high protein needs

The Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD)

The TKD version of the ketogenic diet is for people who wish to obtain additional energy for working out. When following this plan, you consume 20 to 50 or fewer grams of net carbs daily – usually 30 minutes to 60 minutes before working out. Therefore, this form of the ketogenic diet is specifically targeted for workout energy.

The carbs used for TKD workouts are easily digestible – carbs that contain a high glycemic index. Therefore, you need to select foods that are high in glucose and low in fructose. Fructose replenishes the glycogen in the liver instead of the glycogen in the muscles – something that a ketogenic diet tries to avoid.

The Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD)

The CKD version of the ketogenic diet is made specifically for athletes or bodybuilders who understand the basic principles of the SKD version. The CKD diet plan advocates that you consume a low carb diet of 20 to 50 grams of net carbs per day – five to six days per week. You follow this plan by eating a higher-carb diet for one or two days before recycling. If you absolutely must have additional carbs, this is the ketogenic diet for you.

The High Protein Ketogenic Diet (HPKD)

The high-protein version of the ketogenic diet is similar to the SKD version. The only difference is the amount of protein that is consumed. Instead of consuming 70% fats, 25% protein, and 5% carbs, you eat, instead, 60% fats, 35% protein, and 5% carbs. Therefore, you make a minor adjustment in the protein consumption. Just make sure you keep the protein level at around 35%. Eating too much protein can hamper ketosis, and therefore can keep you from reaching your dietary goals.

Keto Nuts and Seeds

Among nuts and seeds, keto preferred foods include the following fat-friendly choices:

The above nuts and seeds make it possible to enjoy lower cholesterol levels and an increased fiber intake – the ultimate selections for people looking for heart-friendly foods.

Keto Dairy and Protein Foods

Keto dairy products include various cheeses as well as cottage cheese and sour cream. Suggested proteins support the consumption of fatter cuts of beef, such as steak or ground beef, chicken, turkey, and pork, such as ham, bacon, or tenderloin. Fish that is eaten include tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel, and cod. Shellfish and organ meats, such as liver, are also consumed. You can also eat eggs – fried, scrambled, boiled, or deviled. Just make sure you use the whole egg.

Keto Suggested Carbs – Greens and Veggies

Among carbs, you can eat a number of raw or green veggies, including alfalfa sprouts, artichoke hearts, broccoli florets, cabbage, cauliflower florets, celery, cucumbers, endives, and escarole. Other veggies include radishes, red bell peppers, black olives, mushrooms, mung bean sprouts, and tomatoes. Cooked vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, leeks, and dandelion greens.